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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  2. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  19. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. toast — a drink to someone
  2. toast — the most admired
  3. stock — goods
  4. charge — in control
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. bore — to drill
  7. saw — the tool
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. march — the month
  10. season — in sport
  11. charge — electricity
  12. season — of the year
  13. club — a group
  14. march — music
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. saw — the tool
  18. toast — bread
  19. march — the month
  20. bore — to tire
  21. stock — shares
  22. charge — a price
  23. club — for dancing
  24. club — for golf

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com